Writer
Erika is a Colombian biologist and ecologist passionate about tropical forests, primates and science communication. She holds an MSc in Ecology and Wildlife Conservation and works with @cienciatropical to connect people with biodiversity.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
A study of papayas in Mexican backyards reveals how hybridisation between wild and cultivated plants can boost genetic diversity while creating new challenges for conservation.
Ecosystems
To germinate in India's dry forests, some seeds must pass through a sloth bear's gut. Its digestion softens rock-hard seeds to regenerate native flora, but with an unexpected twist: it also unintentionally helps spread an invasive plant.
Ecosystems
A new study in Madagascar's Ranomafana National Park reveals that seventy percent of individual trees receive only a single visit from lemurs over a year and a half.
Ecosystems
New research shows that the biggest gaps in seed-dispersal science may not be where researchers think they are.
Taxonomy & Evolution
From fruit-eating animals to wind and self-launching seeds, flowering plants have changed their travel strategies as climates shifted over millions of years.
Digital Botany Focus Issue
Every plant photograph you upload to iNaturalist holds an untapped scientific superpower, thanks to PhenoVision. This new framework has processed nearly 40 million iNaturalist images.
Ecosystems
When Amazonian forests flood, fish take over the work of seed dispersal, carrying viable seeds through rivers and helping plants colonise new areas.
Plants & People
New research shows that economic value, not conservation urgency, is the strongest predictor of which Brazilian plants attract scientific study.
Plants & People
State flowers and insects are meant to represent a place, but climate change may soon test how long those living emblems can remain in place.
Plants & People
Could perfumes help save endangered plants? A new initiative combines fragrance technology, conservation funding, and ethical sourcing to protect some of the world’s rarest species.
Plants & People
New research finds that people are no worse at naming common wild plants than they were two decades ago, but younger adults may be missing out on everyday plant knowledge.
Ecosystems
Pollinators are a vital link between biodiversity and human health, securing both essential nutrients and family livelihoods. While their decline threatens to deepen poverty and malnutrition, protecting local plant diversity offers a sustainable path to resilience.